The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

Collapse

Recommended Videos

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • royals19
    MVP
    • Jan 2012
    • 2182

    #31
    Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

    Trade Deadline Preview-2014
    Woah! Hold your horses, we got one more update before we get to the Future's Game, All Star Game and all that jazz.

    We need to take a look at what the Rangers are going to do at the trade deadline. If this was just some regular, cookie-cutter franchise, we'd just cross that bridge when we get to it. We'd probably make a couple posts over in the trade thread, spend hours trying to find some way to sneak Clayton Kershaw into a Rangers uni... you know that kind of stuff.

    But this is a whole new ball game... pun intended.

    Now with that being said, there are several names that we are looking at for the trade deadline. I'll go ahead and say now that we won't be bringing in a Cole Hamels or somebody like that this time around. We have about 8 million in the bank, limited assets to work with, yahda yahda, etc, etc.

    With that being said, the key area of focus this deadline will be finding pitching. Particularly, reclamation projects. If teams like Chicago, Pittsburgh and Houston can build serviceable rotations with reclamation projects, damn it so should we! After all, we got Mike Maddux running the staff and we all know he ain't no slouch when it comes to developing pitchers.

    So here are the preliminary names Jon Daniels and his staff are looking at.

    Vance Worely

    28.2 IP, 30 strikeouts, 2 walks, 5.02 ERA.

    The Pirates rotation is absolutely chalked full of good pitchers at the moment and Vance Worely (who has pitched OK this season) is in the bullpen as a result. He has a lot to work with, a good mix of pitches, a durable frame and the potential to be better. The Pirates likely wouldn't ask much for him and he could slot right into our rotation and give us stability for the rest of the year and beyond.
    Tsuyoshi Wada

    8.1 IP, 8 strikeouts, 1 walk, 1.08 ERA.

    Wada is primarily on this list because he's a deceptive lefty with good control and decent stuff. He won't be a front of the rotation starter (he's the long reliever for the Cubs now) but he's experienced and knows what he's doing. The Rangers don't really have any left handed pitching anywhere in their organization so bringing in Wada would be a nice addition. The Rangers could likely throw Colby Lewis to the Cubs for Wada+. This might be the best direction for the Rangers at this point.
    Jeremy Hellickson

    116.1 IP, 89 strikeouts, 26 walks, 3.56 ERA.

    Here is where things start to get a little crazy. Hellickson has struggled ever since that 2011 ROY campaign. He's putting together a decent year this season and we know that he could be a serviceable #3 option on our club next year that is supposed to contend. There's also an outside chance he could be our #2 next season if he makes strides with the Rangers. He likely won't cost that much in terms of prospects and he's controllable beyond this season and next. If we can get Hellickson from the Rays, we likely won't have to go hunting for pitching this offseason.
    UPDATE: I've also kicked the tires on adding a controllable outfielder namely, Yoenis Cespedes, Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp.

    FURTHER UPDATE: Also kicked the tires on Yasiel Puig... just for kicks.

    The deadline is still a couple weeks away so I'll go ahead and leave this open. If anyone has any suggestions on players we should target, fire away. I'm all ears.
    Last edited by royals19; 11-26-2014, 08:56 PM.



    I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


    Comment

    • royals19
      MVP
      • Jan 2012
      • 2182

      #32
      Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

      The All-Star Break usually represents a brief mental and physical break from the grind of the regular season. This season however, it represents a vacation from hell. A hell where nothing has gone right for the good 'ol Rangers of Texas. Let's not mince words here. This season has been completely and utterly disastrous from top to bottom.

      Luckily we have the All-Star festivities to look forward to right? I suppose if that's the way you feel... See I'm starting to find myself not that big a fan of the All-Star game here on the Show. The game is either a blowout or a shutout. I suppose the Future's Game is OK... after all, we get to watch a bunch of generated faces show off for the scouts. The Home Run Derby is fun if you've got a personal investment in it... Bottom line is it isn't something I set a countdown on my phone for.

      With that being said, I'm going to tie the festivities into one update and send it off in a nice package.

      ***

      First and foremost, if you haven't seen or heard of Joey Gallo you should read up on him. It's pretty much a lock at this point that Joey Gallo is going to be the next great Ranger.

      Joey Gallo Scouting Report- MLB.com

      Hit: 45
      Power: 80
      Run: 30
      Arm: 70
      Field: 40
      Overall: 65

      Gallo set the Nevada high school career record for home runs and then broke the Arizona Rookie League's single-season mark in his professional debut in 2012 after signing for $2.25 million as a supplemental first-rounder. He followed that up by hitting 40 home runs in 2013 to top the Minor Leagues in his first full season and is challenging for the lead again in 2014. He put on a batting-practice show at the Futures Game, then won MVP honors when he hit the game-winning homer.

      While Gallo has incredible power, the rest of his game is more of a mystery. His home runs come with a lot of strikeouts, leading to concerns about his ability to hit for average. He has a long swing and there will always be some swing-and-miss in his game, though he has started drawing walks with much more frequency this season.

      Gallo is a below-average runner, limiting his range. He has an excellent arm, but he will need to improve defensively to stay at third base in the long run. Ultimately, Gallo will go as far as his bat will take him.

      *Source: MLB.com Prospect Watch.
      This season, Gallo has pretty much answered questions about his bat as he's hitting .323 in AA. The strikeouts are also a non-factor at this point as well as his K/BB ratio is virtually 1:1. With Adrian Beltre set to become a free agent after next season, Gallo will likely be the Rangers starting third baseman by 2016 with a cup of coffee likely in 2015.



      While Gallo stole the show and put Team USA on top, there was also another top Rangers prospect by the name of Jorge Alfaro who did the catching duties for the World team.

      Jorge Alfaro Scouting Report- MLB.com

      Hit: 45
      Power: 60
      Run: 45
      Arm: 75
      Field: 55

      After injuries limited him to just 29 games behind the plate in 2012, Alfaro returned to Class A Hickory in 2013. He performed well while repeating the level and then ended the year with an impressive showing in the Arizona Fall League. He has cemented his status as one of the game's top catching prospects with a solid 2014.

      A converted infielder, Alfaro has only been catching full-time for a few years and is still a little raw defensively. He may have the strongest arm of any Minor League catcher and is remarkably athletic.

      Alfaro has solid raw power and began to tap into it more in 2013. His swing has a tendency to get long and he'll need to cut down on his strikeouts as he advances in the Minor Leagues. He has decent speed and is aggressive on the basepaths. If Alfaro can refine some of his more raw tools, he has tremendous upside.

      *Source: MLB.com Prospect Watch.
      Alfaro is essentially a lesser version of Gallo but still potent himself. If he can improve his defense and hit for a solid average, Alfaro can perhaps become one of the best catchers in all of baseball. It's nice to think about having a lineup that eventually features Joey Gallo and Jorge Alfaro hitting back to back. For now however, that will remain a dream as both still reside in AA and are at least a year away from the Show.

      ***

      Directly following the Future's Game was the home run derby with the usual suspects so the decision was made to go ahead and skip it in favor of heading straight to the All-Star Game. It was pretty much expected that the Rangers weren't going to have more than one player in the game and in fact, I really didn't pay much attention to the voting. So when we looked over the All Star roster, it was good to see that Adrian Beltre was nominated as the Rangers representative.



      I don't care what anyone says, Adrian Beltre represents the heart and soul of the Texas Rangers. Sure, he's winding down his career but Adrian remains the best third baseman in baseball. He still plays Gold Glove defense, he still hits .300 and he still clubs 30 home runs. Essentially, Adrian Beltre is to the Rangers what Chipper Jones was to the Braves. It'll be a sad day when he decides to hang it up. As long as he remains a productive player, he will remain a Ranger.

      The second half will bring about a milestone in his career as he is only 3 home runs away from reaching 400. It ought to be a great time watching this living legend do what he does in the second half.



      I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


      Comment

      • royals19
        MVP
        • Jan 2012
        • 2182

        #33
        Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

        Babe's Chicken Dinner House
        Arlington,Texas
        July 19th, 2014


        The two men sat uncomfortably at the Restaurant. To the average person, the pair would've gone unnoticed on this warm Texas night. The more awkward of the two looked anguished and uncomfortable at the sight of his dinner plate.

        The other man looked across the table nervously at his friend, wondering what could be bothering his associate. Here they sat, back at the pinnacle of their power. Sure, the Rangers were losing games by the bakers dozen but who cares when the money is rolling in? After all, things were bound to be better next season.

        Yet, when he looked over at his business partner, it was clear that storm clouds were gathering. It was clear that something other than tasteless chicken was bothering him.

        If you thought that George W. Bush was going to be bullied by Nolan Ryan into making him General Manager and President of the Texas Rangers, you thought wrong. If he could stretch this out for as long as possible, then he would. He didn't care about axing Jon Daniels when he had done nothing wrong. In fact, he cared more about the repercussions that would follow a return of Nolan Ryan.

        On one hand, Nolan Ryan was his friend and was virtually responsible for bringing him into this business venture.

        On the other hand, he knew what the implications of bringing in Nolan would do. It would symbolize a complete 180 in organizational philosophy. It would turn Texas upside down and infuriate Jon Daniels... But those were the least of his problems. In fact, George W. Bush saw greater implications of this seemingly simple move.

        In fact, while W. picked at his chicken, he contemplated his own position. There would certainly be backlash from them. The very people he and Nolan sought to rain hell on would proceed to rain hell on them. He tried to delay the inevitable return of Nolan Ryan to no avail... he tried his darnedest... But it was now clear that the **** was going to hit the fan much sooner than he anticipated.

        The beginnings of a crisis were looming over his head.

        And to think we were here wondering about the chicken...



        I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


        Comment

        • royals19
          MVP
          • Jan 2012
          • 2182

          #34
          Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

          The first two games back from the All-Star Break represented an improvement over where we were currently sitting.

          Fresh off a nice break, we handed the ball to new free agent signing Kevin Slowey. Slowey, who made 2 starts in AAA, will be asked to bring stability an innings to a rotation that has lacked both.



          I'll admit, Slowey wasn't as sharp as anyone had hoped. He had trouble commanding his curveball and working ahead with the fastball. As a result, the Blue Jays tagged him for 5 runs in 7 innings. Hopefully this start was pure nerves for Slowey and he'll bounce back to be more effective his next time out. Otherwise, he might as well have burnt the 2.5 million it took to get him in a Ranger's uni.

          In addition to Slowey's start, the Rangers absolutely crushed the Blue Jays pitching for 19 hits and 11 runs. I'm not quite sure what has gotten into the offense. Maybe it was the extended break or maybe it was the lineup shakeup... I don't know. What I do know is that whatever Wash is doing in the dugout, it's working.

          Out to prove that this success was not a fluke in our next USER start, Tommy Hanson took the ball and practically ran away with it.



          Hanson, who has looked good all year long, out-pitched Jon Lester in what proved to be his best outing of the year. Hanson, got ahead with his fastball on the black at the knees and then chipped away with his breaking pitches to get outs. I know he's pitched decent all year but this start was by-far his best. I don't want to say anything too soon, but this might have won Hanson a spot in our rotation next year; at the very least a spot in the organization.

          Just like in the Jays game, the Rangers offense came to play. Again, they posted strong numbers on Jon Lester. This represents an encouraging sign for a team that has struggled with the bats all year long.

          I know that this season is lost, but could this be the turning point? Can the Rangers post a strong finish to the season? I suppose we'll find out in the coming months.



          I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


          Comment

          • royals19
            MVP
            • Jan 2012
            • 2182

            #35
            Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

            Close, But No Cigar
            Rangers, Dodgers Fail to Reach Agreement
            T.R. Sullivan/MLB.com



            The Rangers thought they had their man come July 31st. And then they didn’t.

            With the Dodgers in a complete tail spin and the Rangers looking to add pieces for next season, it appeared that the two sides were going to reach a deal that would’ve sent Yasiel Puig to Texas for prospects Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson, Travis Demeritte and Ryan Rua according to a report by FOX Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal. In the minutes leading up to the deadline however, the Dodgers got cold feet and refused the Rangers offer.

            “We have to do what’s best for our ball club in the short and long run” said Dodgers GM Ned Colletti. “I don’t want to get into the specifics of what players and teams were involved but we did dangle some of our more valuable assets and ultimately the returns aren’t what we were looking for. Maybe we’ll revisit things in the offseason. I don’t know.”

            Texas, the owner of an absolutely horrendous pitching staff and a struggling offense, was looking to add controllable bats via trade that could help the team in their 2015 pennant race.

            “I think the plan right now for us is to look for offensive help in the trade market before we go dipping into Free Agency this winter” said Rangers GM Jon Daniels. “We obviously have a lot of holes on our roster heading into next season despite multiple key guys coming back. With that being said, we are also working with limited funds and so we’re at a point where we need to be creative. We’ll see what happens.”

            When asked if the Rangers were talking to the Dodgers about Yasiel Puig specifically, Jon Daniels said, “I’m not going to get into any names or anything like that but I will say that we were approached by the Dodgers about a potential deal and we thought that we had an agreement.”

            It makes sense for the Rangers to look for controllable, impact bats on the trade market as it’s well known around the industry that the team would like to have plenty of money to spend on Free Agent pitching this winter. Unfortunately, it looks like this glimmer of hope was simply a shooting star.

            T.R. Sullivan is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.



            I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


            Comment

            • royals19
              MVP
              • Jan 2012
              • 2182

              #36
              Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

              After the ball game on Tuesday, while most of his team was getting ready for the long bus ride back to the hotel after yet another loss, Colby Lewis, Alex Rios and Elvis Andrus stood behind swamped by reporters asking about deadline rumors.

              A reporter asked Lewis in particular how he felt about the rumors and what his future at age 34 looked like.



              Originally posted by Colby Lewis
              You know the only thing I can do is keep going out there and doing my best. I can’t control what Jon or George has planned for me. I wasn’t brought in to run this team, I was brought in to pitch and that’s what I’m going to do. I do hope that there is some resolution to these rumors soon though, I would hate for it to be a distraction for myself and my teammates as we look to be better this second half.
              Meanwhile in George W.'s Office...

              Originally posted by Jon Daniels
              …You’re joking right? Surely you aren’t being serious…
              Originally posted by George W.
              But I’m afraid I am. Now get your things and Jack over here will escort you out.
              Originally posted by Jon Daniels
              You son of a bitch! You’re getting me out!?
              Originally posted by George W.
              Look, attendance has collapsed, the team has collapsed… the ship here is sinking and so I asks myself, “who is responsible for this hell of a mess?” Funny thing is, it all keeps coming back to you. Now get your **** and get out you no good city slicker.
              Originally posted by Jon Daniels
              So that’s how its going to be, you think just because you used to be President of the United States at one point in your pathetic life, you can just forget where you came from? Walk all over the people who’ve done everything you’ve asked? You won’t get away with this. You won’t get away with destroying everything I have done here. Mr. Bush, you will be following me right out the door before too long.
              Originally posted by George W.
              Originally posted by Jon Daniels
              …So that’s how it ends?
              Originally posted by George W.
              …Get the **** out of my office.
              Jon Daniels proceeds to slug George W. Bush in the face. As Bush falls to the ground, Daniels tips his desk over on top of him, grabs Bush’s wallet and runs out.


              As everyone down in Texas knows, everything is big… even the littlest news.


              Jon Daniels, General Manager of the Texas Rangers, Has Been Fired.



              To say that things have gone awry for the Rangers this season would be an understatement. Moves such as trading Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder, trading for Alex Rios and extending Elvis Andrus have failed to work out. As a result, newly anointed owner George W. Bush wen right to the root of the cause and asked Jon Daniels to leave his position as General Manager. While he was offered another position to stay on in the organization, he refused and will now look for new opportunities. With no clear candidate for the opening apparent, Owner George W. Bush will run the team in the interim.

              “Today signifies a new era in Texas Rangers baseball. While we certainly can’t forget what Jon did for the club in years prior, it was apparent to myself, my Vice President and my cabinet (???) that it was time for us to make a change. That is why I have asked Jon to leave his post as General Manager. I want to assert to everyone here today that it was nothing personal, just business. With that being said, I, on behalf of the Texas Rangers organization, wish Jon the best in whatever he decides to do next.”



              I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


              Comment

              • royals19
                MVP
                • Jan 2012
                • 2182

                #37
                Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                TRADE DEADLINE REPORT

                Rangers Acquire Wada, prospects in exchange for Colby Lewis



                After weeks of speculation, the Rangers have finally sprung and made their mark on this years trade deadline. While they didn’t acquire any superstar players or well known names, they certainly addressed their needs for this season and beyond.

                It was originally reported that the Rangers were in advanced talks for Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig but when the Dodgers backed out, the Rangers went to Plan B. MLB.com’s Peter Gammons reports that the Dodgers backed out because the Rangers refused to include an upside bullpen piece. In addition to that, the Rangers comfort level was also stretched as they were trading the only catcher with upside in their system.

                The Rangers have had Wada on their radar for quite some time, however a deal didn’t materialize until they began discussing other names they were interested in with the Cubs. In addition to the Rangers interest, the Cubs had interest in picking up veteran Colby Lewis from the scrap heap in hopes that they could revive his career. As a result, the wheels began to turn on a trade that would be between two last place teams.

                Details of the Trade:

                Rangers Get:
                Tsuyoshi Wada-SP
                Dallas Beeler-SP
                Lars Anderson-1B
                Cubs Get:
                Colby Lewis-SP
                Shawn Tolleson-RP
                Cash Considerations
                The Cubs were happy to get Colby Lewis who was once an integral part of the Rangers rotation. With 14 losses on the season, an ERA over 4, a contract that expired at the end of the season and no desire to retain him, it made sense for the Rangers to move him in order to give someone else an opportunity. In addition to acquiring Lewis, the Cubs also acquired Shawn Tolleson who has plenty of pure talent and should become one of Chicago’s key bullpen pieces in 2015.

                The Rangers on the other hand acquire Wada, a left-hander who served as Chicago’s long man for much of the season. Wada will be the first left-hander to make a start for the Rangers this season. On the minor league side of the deal, the Rangers got an interesting pair of young players. Dallas Beeler is the type of pitcher the Rangers love to have: big (6’5) and powerful. Beeler can touch 94 with his sinker but he’s much more of a fines pitcher as his slurve is his out pitch. The former 41st round pick will likely get a crack at the rotation in September. In addition to Beeler, the Rangers also acquired Lars Anderson. Anderson was once one of the top prospects in baseball during his days with the Red Sox but at 26, those days are long gone. He has never had significant time in the majors but that is likely to change with the Rangers because one can only take so much Mike Carp.



                I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                Comment

                • royals19
                  MVP
                  • Jan 2012
                  • 2182

                  #38
                  Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                  If there is one thing I hate more than getting **** slapped by a no name, generate face bum who has no business being in the big leagues, its giving opposing players their own highlight reel.

                  Damn you Michael Bourn.



                  In the dog days of the season, Michael Bourn decides to go ham sandwich on the Rangers. In the previous times we've played Cleveland, he's been chill but for whatever reason he was playing like it was Game 7 of the world series. He laid out for every fly ball, dove into first base, hit bombs off the wall in left field... dude did it all today.



                  By the end of the game, I was fed up with his antics and was seconds away from punting my controller across my room. Everyone who knows Bourn knows he isn't this good. Yeah he was an All-Star a couple times... Yeah he's got a gold glove or two. I don't really give a flip who the hell he thinks he is.

                  I've used this graphic before to describe Bourn and I'll use it again.


                  What you see when you see Michael Bourn:


                  What I see when I see Michael Bourn:
                  This is what sucks about being the worst team in the game. You're constantly getting lit up by scrubs and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it. We won today, sure. That's not the point here. The point is that Michael Bourn is trolling harder than Mike Trout on MLB 12 The Show. That being said, someone is going to pay for this... Michael Bourn, a no-name Astros player... Someone is going to pay for these antics. We won't make the postseason this year so at the very least we can take some of these punks down with us.



                  I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                  Comment

                  • royals19
                    MVP
                    • Jan 2012
                    • 2182

                    #39
                    Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                    Like I said in the last post, if there's anything I hate more than no name, generate face scum, its giving opposing players their own highlight reel. This isn't, "The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of the League's Crum Bums. This is a story about the Texas Rangers; Freedom's team, Texas' Team, America's team.

                    Today however, it looks like we'll be giving the other team all the credit and dumping on the Texas Rangers.

                    After dropping the series in Cleveland, we headed back down to Texas to play our interstate rival the Houston Astros.



                    Yes, Houston is that damn good... Especially this guy, George Springer; the new Nike front man. Springer, a rookie this season, has been killing this league all season long. He's a front runner for MVP and Rookie of the Year honors. The ish this dude does on a baseball field is unbelievable.

                    And it isn't just George Springer that's like this. It's the whole damn Astros squad. The whole damn team folks. Everyone on the Astros seems to have the athleticism of a Deion Sanders or Bo Jackson. How are we supposed to beat a team like that? Clone Bo Jackson? Clone Deion Sanders? SMH.... You can't.



                    Especially when you have guys like Alex Rios throwing their bats past third base and into the seats. I don't know how you can throw the bat that far into the seats. I understand throwing it into the seats behind the dugout but into the seats past third base about 15 rows deep? SMH... We're looking like the Bad News Bears out there. We're looking comically bad.



                    With that being said, the brunt of the blame has finally fallen upon Ron Washington's shoulders. He's a Ryan boy and as a result, he's been shielded for his managerial shortcomings up to this point but it's getting to the point where the organization is starting to lose prestige and credibility by allowing him to manage this squad.

                    Has he lost his voice in the clubhouse? Yeah I think so.

                    Is he the right man for the job? I don't know.

                    Will he manage the Rangers beyond this season? We'll see...



                    Oh yeah and if that wasn't bad enough, our Opening Day catcher is now done for the rest of the season. This really hurts his standing with the team. He had a chance to solidify his role as our number 1 catching option but he's been injured too much to even be considered a viable option for our team next season. Maybe if we were rebuilding we could tolerate him next season but now it's becoming increasingly likely we'll look for a catcher this offseason.



                    I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                    Comment

                    • royals19
                      MVP
                      • Jan 2012
                      • 2182

                      #40
                      Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                      After yet another debacle at the hands of the treacherous Houston Astros, the Texas Rangers headed back home to face the Tampa Bay Rays. Everybody knows that Tampa is one of the worst squads in the league... I don't need to tell you that. I mean, when your 3 hitter is Kevin Kiermaier you know you got some problems.



                      Then again, we don't really have the room to talk... especially when we can't even draw a crowd any more. I mean damn... Look at how many people decided to show up to the game? I think the attendance was something like 9,000. Hats off to the faithful of Ranger Nation, you da real MVPs.

                      The large crowd is probably explained by us starting our best guy on the year Nick Tepesch. I shudder to think what a crowd would look like with a Tommy Hanson or Kevin Slowey out there. Pretty soon we're gonna have to start giving away tickets to get fans back into the stadium.



                      Like most times, Tepesch was right on tonight. The 2 seam was pounding away at the knees, the slider was fooling guys left and right... He really had all his pitches working tonight through 7 innings. But just like the storyline always dictates, it ain't a game until somebody does something they're not supposed to.

                      And tonight, the blame falls square on the "alleged" bullpen we have out there.



                      4 runs in the 9th? Really Neftali Feliz? Really Neal Cotts? Really Aaron Poreda? Really? Are we just that bad that we can't even cruise to victory we gotta wet the bed and then change the sheets real quick before we win? SMH... They're lucky that the long man Scott Baker was able to come in and bail them out... The long man for crying out loud!

                      A win is a win and thank America that we got guys like Odor out there who are hungry and trying to do something to keep us entertained day in and day out. Hats off to those guys... Much respect.



                      I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                      Comment

                      • royals19
                        MVP
                        • Jan 2012
                        • 2182

                        #41
                        Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge



                        If there is one team I hate more than the Astros, it's gotta be the Royals. I wish I could change my name from what it currently is but I suppose that will have to wait for now. I won't bore you with the story of how I came to despise them... but uhh... yeah don't like them punks any more.

                        Any way, take a look at where we are in the stats. Good to see we've been mediocre so far this season. Also good to see how the pitching report reads... last, 21st, last, last... I hope you got your note-pads out because today is going to teach you how to lose a ball game.

                        Step 1: Pick up some dude from the Waiver Wire and start him

                        I'm not going to lie, the Kevin Slowey experiment was pretty much over after he got his **** kicked around at Toronto. Ever since then, Rangers scouts have been on the lookout for a replacement. Finally while checking out the usual list of suspects on the waiver wire we happened upon Paul Clemens... Good movement, throws hard... Might as well give him a shot.

                        So we fly the kid in from god know's where and slap a Rangers Uni on him and send him out there to face the Royals.

                        To his credit, he was just as good as Nick Tepesch tonight. The Royals simply couldn't catch up to the fastball up and in. But like any young pitcher, he made mistakes and two big ones. First a dinger to Billy Butler in the 3rd and then a bomb to Alex Gordon in the 4th. We pulled him after the 6th and handed it over to the bullpen.

                        Step 2: Give the ball to the bullpen and let them do what they do .


                        Step 3: Tell your coaches to send your slowest players on singles to Alex Gordon out in left field.

                        I don't even know who the third base coach is out there but all I know is he's getting fired at the end of the season. For whatever reason, he thinks its game 7 of the world series out there and we got to send everybody on everything. That's exactly what happened tonight with Adrian Beltre. We had a chance to tie the game up in the 6th but we blew it and the Royals didn't turn back.

                        Cue the loss. Cue the face palm.



                        I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                        Comment

                        • royals19
                          MVP
                          • Jan 2012
                          • 2182

                          #42
                          Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                          August 23rd, 2014

                          A date which will live in infamy…

                          After many months of waiting, he was back on top.

                          All was right once again in the world as Texas legend Nolan Ryan sat at his rightful place atop the Rangers front office as General Manager of the team. This was the day everyone had been waiting for. Under Jon Daniels and in Nolan’s absence, the organization had been gutted of the good guys... the “Nolan Ryan people” but now, that was all about to change. Whatever course Daniels had plotted for the organization was irrelevant now. You could be sure that Nolan Ryan was going to build this team the way that he wanted.

                          Yes, a new era has arisen from the ashes of the old one.

                          Meanwhile in George W.’s office,

                          George Bush was pacing his office. Something had to be done quickly. The day that he had been hoping to put off for as long as possible had finally come. Was he afraid that they would disapprove of the return of Nolan Ryan? Perhaps… But that wasn’t the basis for his worries. In fact, he was more worried about what they were going to do instead of why.

                          You see George was worried that Nolan Ryan was going to try to expand his power to levels that he couldn’t control. Sure he could bear to let Nolan run the team but when he started meddling in other affairs, well, that was something different. Letting Nolan Ryan overstep his authority would likely result in both of them being hanged in the town square.

                          Over the course of the year dealing with Nolan in the shadows, George came to see that Nolan Ryan was going to blow this whole thing up before it even took off. In other words, they were about to be dead men walking before they had even done anything.

                          A meeting had to be held… and it had to be held quick.

                          While we won’t reveal the particulars of this shady meeting now, it will certainly have bearing in the future.



                          I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                          Comment

                          • royals19
                            MVP
                            • Jan 2012
                            • 2182

                            #43
                            Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                            Well folks, it is the that time of year where we go to our home away from home aka Minute Made Park for another Texas showdown. There has always been an interstate rival between these two teams every since they both came to inhabit the state of Texas. The Rangers have typically kicked the snot out of the Astros but the times have changed.



                            This rivalry has essentially become a one sided smash down. The Rangers are really no competition for the Astros. I've spoken about how talented they are before but I'm gonna do that again. Everyone on that team seems to have some sort of overwhelming tool or a complete set of tools. All of their starting pitchers seem to have one dominating pitch whether it's Dallas Keuchel's sinker or McChugh's curveball. The Astros really don't have a weakness and that's why they're in the thick of the playoff chase at this point in time.



                            Of course, you knew that we were going to talk about the man, the myth, the legend, George Springer. This dude has really come to top my list of bad guys. He's the player that I wish we had access to here in Texas. He's the type of player you want to build a franchise around. He's the type of player that haunts your dreams night in and night out.

                            I wish that George Springer would just go away.



                            But he won't and he keeps getting better every single time we play him. Out of all the Mike Trouts, Albert Pujols', Robinson Canos and pesky Oakland A's players, it has to be George Springer of all people... Unbleepin' believable. This most certainly can't be life folks.



                            I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                            Comment

                            • royals19
                              MVP
                              • Jan 2012
                              • 2182

                              #44
                              Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                              Well folks, I never thought I'd see the day but...


                              The Mariners and Astros are leading the division while the A's and Rangers are sitting at the bottom. It's late August and we have 93 losses. While I was hoping to avoid the 100 loss mark, it doesn't appear as though that will happen. This season has been nothing short of a full blown disaster. The pitching is bad, the offense is mediocre and several key players missed the entire season. To top it off, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Yu Darvish and Alex Rios all had down years.

                              Needless to say, things have been bad down in Texas and they most certainly will continue to get worse before the season is over.



                              At this point in the season, the Rangers are beginning to get extended looks at players who could help out next season during our return to glory. As a result, the rest of this season is going to be all about experimenting and evaluating. Tonight was a perfect example of that as we took the lead behind Lars Anderson and Michael Choice.

                              Instead of going to Neftali Feliz in the 9th and watching him blow another game, we handed the ball to the submariner Ben Rowen because why not?



                              Rowen isn't going to overpower anyone by any means but maybe if he can paint that sinker on the corners and get guys out in high leverage situations, he could be a key cog in our bullpen next season. After all, how many submarine pitchers are closers in the big leagues? We all know what Chad Bradford did in "Moneyball;" surely there isn't a reason Rowan can't do the same.

                              He would proceed to give up a walk-off home run to Alex Gordon.



                              I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                              Comment

                              • royals19
                                MVP
                                • Jan 2012
                                • 2182

                                #45
                                Re: The Legend of Nolan Ryan: A Story of Fastballs and Revenge

                                Nolan Ryan's Office
                                September 1st, 2014
                                8:43 PM


                                Something was troubling our hero. It wasn't the drop in ticket sales or the complete collapse on the field, it was something greater... Something that posed a legitimate threat to the newly established regime. During the process of acquiring the team, Nolan kept his poker face and remained fearless but now, his iron and gritty look had turned ghastly and afraid.

                                There was a ringing on the telephone.


                                Originally posted by Nolan
                                Hel...Hello?
                                Originally posted by ???
                                You promised us Nolan...
                                Originally posted by Nolan
                                I know I did... I know. But there isn't anything I can do, we can't make the playoffs this season. It simply isn't feasible at this point. Please... Just give me next season.
                                Originally posted by ???
                                I'm afraid we can't do that. Mr. Ryan, you are going to pay up one way or another whether you like it or not.
                                Originally posted by Nolan
                                What... What are you going to do? Hello? Hello!?
                                And suddenly, the line was dead.



                                I've heard that sound 3 times... once was Babe Ruth, the second was Josh Gibson, and the third was Bo Jackson- Buck O'Neil


                                Comment

                                Working...